Plastic closure cap for a container

ABSTRACT

A closure cap formed of plastic for a container, especially a bottle or the like, comprising a cap lift-off or removal nose member which protrudes away from the outer periphery of the body of the closure cap. At least one reference rupture location is provided at a region in the neighborhood of the cap lift-off nose member, which region is stressed during pushing the closure cap off of the container, or such reference rupture location is provided at the cap lift-off nose member itself. Tearing of the reference rupture location indicates any possible unauthorized opening of the container. The regions containing the reference rupture locations form a part of the closure cap member which can be removed as a unit with the cap lift-off nose.

United States Patent [1 1 Aichinger Aug. 12, 1975 [54] PLASTIC CLOSURECAP FOR A 3,722,729 3/1973 Yamada 215/254 CONTAINER [75] inventor:Dietmar Aichinger, Arlesheim, Pnmary Han Switzerland Attorney, Agent, orFzrm-Edward J. Brenner [73] Assignee: Albert Obrist & C0., Reinach, [57]ABSTRACT Switzerland A closure cap formed of plastic for a container,espe- [22] led: May 1974 cially a bottle or the like, comprising a caplift-off or 21 L N 466 194 removal nose member which protrudes away fromthe outer periphery of the body of the closure cap. At least onereference rupture location is provided at a [30] Fore'gn Apphcat'onPnonty Data region in the neighborhood of the cap lift-off nose May 9,l973 Switzerland 6556/73 member region is stressed during pushing theclosure cap off of the container, or such reference U.S. rupturelocation is provided at the cap nose [5 Int. CL2 i member itselfiTearing of the reference rupture loca- Of Search tion indicates anypossible unauthorized opening of 220/266, 268, 269 the container. Theregions containing the reference rupture locations form a part of theclosure cap meml l References Cited her which can be removed as a unitwith the cap lift- UNITED STATES PATENTS off nose.

3,266,652 8/1966 LOhl'Cl' 2l5/253 3 Claims 7 Drawing Figures 3,292,807l2/l966 Golde 215/253 X PLASTIC CLOSURE CAP FOR A CONTAINER BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a new and improvedconstruction of closure cap member for a container, especially a flaskor bottle, which closure cap member is of the type comprising a caplift-off or actuation nose member which protrudes away from the outerperiphery of the body of the closure cap member.

Such type closure cap can be removed from the container by pushing awaythe lift-off nose member with the thumb. With heretofore known closurecaps of this type, it was not possible to determine whether or not thecontainer had already been opened prior to its actual use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Hence, it is a primary object of the presentinvention to provide an improved construction of closure cap for acontainer or the like rendering possible the ready and easydetermination whether the container has been previously improperlyopened.

Another object of the present invention aims at a new and improvedconstruction of closure cap for a container or the like, which closurecap is relatively simple in construction and design and equipped withmeans enabling the rapid and quick determination whether the containerwith which the cap is used has previously been opened.

Now in order to implement these and still further objects of theinvention, which will become more readily apparent as the descriptionproceeds, the closure cap of this development contemplates the provisionof at least one reference rupture location provided at regions of thecap in the neighborhood of the cap lift-off nose member or at the caplift-off or removal nose member itself, and which regions are stressedduring removal of the closure cap from the container. Tearing of thereference rupture location or locations indicates unauthorized openingof the container. The regions containing the reference rupture locationsform a part of the closure cap which can be removed as a unit togetherwith the cap lift-off or removal nose.

The invention is particularly suitable for closure caps used inconjunction with containers which house a beverage under pressure. Suchclosure caps, also known as crown corks, can possess a substantiallycylindrical peripheral or marginal section which axially extends awayfrom the floor of the cap, and at the inner periphery of which there isformed, for instance, a substantially ringshaped, elastically flexiblesupport bead for cooperation with a bead edge at the neck or throat ofthe container, and a substantially cylindrical inner section whichlikewise'axially extends away from the cap floor, the outer periphery ofwhich possesses a substantially ring-shaped, elastically flexiblesealing bead which sealingly fits into the container throat. The outercontour or shape of such sealing bead approximates ths shape of anolive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be better understoodand objects other than those set forth above, will become apparent whenconsideration is given to the following detailed description thereof.Such description makes reference to the annexed drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view, partially in section, of a closure cap designedaccording to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the closure cap depicted FIG. -l; i

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a closure cap designed according to theinvention, the upper half of the illustration showing one embodiment andthe lower half showing a different embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a side view, turned through in comparison to the showing ofFIG. 1, and depicting a further modification of. closurecap acccordingto the invention;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the closure cap depicted in FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6 and 7 respectively illustrate plan views of still two differentembodiments of closure cap designed according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Describing now thedrawing, the various embodiments of closure caps depicted thereinpossess a substantially bowlor cup-shaped configuration. The sectionalview appearing at the right hand portion of FIG. 1 is identical to allof the illustrated embodiments of closure caps. Accordingly, it will beseen that theclosure cap possesses a cap floor or base 1 from whichaxially protrudes a substantially ring-shaped cylindrical peripheral ormarginal section2 and radially and further inwardly thereof a likewisesubstantially ringshaped cylindrical inner section 3. The marginal orperipheralsection 2 is provided at the region of its free end with aninwardly protruding support bead 4, the upper profile or contour ofwhich, as shown in FIG. 1, extends or slopes more markedly towards theapex ,or tip than its lower contour. The peripheral or marginal section2 is reinforced at its free end by means of a substantially circular orring-shaped encircling collar 10 and at its inside by ribs .11 whichextend, from the support bead 4 to the cap edge, these ribs beingsubstantiallyuniformly distributed along theinner peripheral wall of thecap.

The inner section or portion 3 has a convex curved outer contour orprofile 5 defining a sealing bead and similar to the shape of an olive.As concerns the spacing of the tip or apex of the inner section 3 fromthe cap floor 1, the same is spaced at a lesser or at most the samedistance as the support bead 4 of the outer or petipheral section 2.

Owing to this construction, the support bead 4, upon pressing theclosure cap into the neck or throat of the container or the like, bearsprior to or at least simultaneous with the sealing bead 5 against thebead edge of the container, and thus during the cap pressing-in orinsertion operation the pressure exerted by the sealing bead at theinner section towards the outside upon the inner wall of the containerneck or throat is supported at the outer wall of the container neck. Inthis way there can be avoided destruction of the container neck duringinsertion of the closure cap owing to too large a pressure being exertedfrom the inner section or portion 3 upon the container neck.

The closure cap is provided at the outside with a cap lift-off orremoval nose 6 (FIG. 2), 6' (FIG. 3), 6" (FIG. 3), 6" (FIGS. 4 and 5),6" (FIG. 6), and 6" (FIG. 7), which in each of the exemplary illustratedembodiments are equipped to both sides with a respective reinforcementwall 7, 7', 7", 7", 7", and 7".

' During actuation of the cap lift-off or removal nose,

by applying a pressure in the direction of the arrows shown in FIGS. 1and 4 upwardly away from the neck of the container or the like, theclosure cap, which owing to high frictional forces is tightly seated atthe neck of the container, is deformed, particularly at the region ofthe cap lift-off or removal nose. This behavior is beneficially utilizedby arranging reference rupture locations at the region of the nose andwhich are constructed such that the first time the closure cap is pushedor lifted off the container by means of the cap lift-off or removalnose, such reference rupture locations tear, thereby indicating anyunauthorized opening of the container or the like.

With the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, struts or webs 9 extendbetween the radial outermost corners of the nose 6 and the capperiphery, and at which struts there is formed a reference rupturelocation 8 neighboring each corner of the lift-off nose 6. The referencerupture location also can be of course arranged at the location of theconnection of the struts or webs 9 with the cap periphery or at anintermediate location of the strut length.

With the embodiment according to FIG. 3, there are provided connectionsurfaces 9', 9", between the nose or nose member 6' or 6" and theperiphery of the closure cap. With the embodiment shown at the upperportion of FIGS, a broken-line illustrated reference rupture line 8'extends neighboring the reinforcement wall'7' atthe connection surface9, whereas with the modification illustrated at the lower half of FIG. 3a reference'rupture line 8" initially extends along the periphery of theclosure cap at the connection surface 9" and thereafter flexes orbends-off towards the outside 1 from the radial inner corner of thereinforcement wall 7" and extends transversely through the connectionsurface 9", as shown.

With the embodiment according to FIGS. 4 and 5, there arearrangedreference rupture lines 8" to both sides of the cap lift-off or removalnose 6" and such reference rupture lines coincide with axially paralleljacket lines or generatrixes at the wall of the closure cap. With thisembodiment the reinforcement walls 7" are not constructed so as toextend up to the periphery of the closure cap, in order to insure for asufficient deformation of the closure cap wall for tearing the referencerupture lines 8" during the initial lifting-off or removal of theclosure cap.

With the embodiments according to FIGS. 6 and 7 the reference rupturelines are arranged at the nose member. itself. With the embodiment ofclosure cap depicted in FIG. 6, the reference rupture line 8 extendsadjacent to and along the periphery of the closure cap at the web of thenose 6" between the reinforcement walls 7", which here again extend upto the peripheral wall of the closure cap.

With the embodiment of FIG. 7, the reference rupture line 8' extendsapproximately in radial direction and closer to one of bothreinforcement walls 7" at the web of the nose 6".

What is common to all of the exemplary embodiments is that uponactuation of the cap lift-off or removal nose for pushing away theclosure cap from the neck of thecontainer, the reference rupturelocations are caused to tear, thereby visually indicating that theassociated container has already been opened, in other words, indicatingwhen necessary any unauthorized opening of the container.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of theinvention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is notlimited thereto, but may be otherwise variously embodied and practicedwithin the scope of the following claims. Accordingly,

What is claimed is:

1. A closure cap formed of plastic for use with a container, especiallya flask or bottle, comprising a closure cap having a cap body, a caplift-off nose extending away from the outer periphery of the body of theclosure cap, at least one reference rupture location provided for saidclosure cap, said reference rupture location tearing upon removal of theclosure cap from the container, the region of the closure cap containingsaid reference rupture location forming a part of the closure cap whichcan be removed as a unit together with the cap lift-off nose, saidclosure cap including at least one lateral connection surface extendingbetween the cap lift-off nose and the outer periphery of the body of theclosure cap, said at least one reference rupture location comprising atleast one reference rupture line provided at said lateral connectionsurface.

2. A closure cap formed of plastic for use with a container, especiallya flask or bottle, comprising a closure cap having a cap body, a caplift-off nose extending away from the outer periphery of the body of theclosure cap, at least one reference rupture location provided for saidclosure cap, said reference rupture location tearing upon removal of theclosure cap from the container, the region of the closure cap containingsaid reference rupture location forming a part of the closure cap whichcan be removed as a unit together with the cap lift-off nose, saidreference rupture location comprising a reference rupture line providedat the cap liftoff nose at a region thereof neighboring the periphery ofthe body of the closure cap, and reinforcement wall means provided forthe cap lift-off nose, said reinforcing wall means laterally boundingsaid reference rupture line.

3. A closure cap formed of plastic for use with a container, especiallya flask or bottle, comprising a closure cap having a cap body, a caplift-off nose extending away from the outer periphery of the body of theclosure cap, at least one reference rupture location provided for saidclosure cap, said reference rupture location tearing upon removal of theclosure cap from the container, the region of the closure cap containingsaid reference rupture location forming a part of the closure cap whichcan be removed as a unit together with the cap lift-off nose, saidclosure cap including at least one lateral connection strut extendingbetween the cap liftoff nose and the outer periphery of the body of theclosure cap, said at least one reference rupture location comprising atleast one reference rupture location provided at said lateral connectionstrut.

1. A closure cap formed of plastic for use with a container, especiallya flask or bottle, comprising a closure cap having a cap body, a caplift-off nose extending away from the outer periphery of the body of theclosure cap, at least one reference rupture location provided for saidclosure cap, said reference rupture location tearing upon removal of theclosure cap from the container, the region of the closure cap containingsaid reference rupture location forming a part of the closure cap whichcan be removed as a unit together with the cap lift-off nose, saidclosure cap including at least one lateral connection surface extendingbetween the cap lift-off nose and the outer periphery of the body of theclosure cap, said at least one reference rupture location comprising atleast one reference rupture line provided at said lateral connectionsurface.
 2. A closure cap formed of plastic for use with a container,especially a flask or bottle, comprising a closure cap having a capbody, a cap lift-off nose extending away from the outer periphery of thebody of the closure cap, at least one reference rupture locationprovided for said closure cap, said reference rupture location tearingupon removal of the closure cap from the container, the region of theclosure cap containing said reference rupture location forming a part ofthe closure cap which can be removed as a unit together with the caplift-off nose, said reference rupture location comprising a referencerupture line provided at the cap lift-off nose at a region thereofneighboring the periphery of the body of the closure cap, andreinforcement wall means provided for the cap lift-off nose, saidreinforcing wall means laterally bounding said reference rupture line.3. A closure cap formed of plastic for use with a container, especiallya flask or bottle, comprising a closure cap having a cap body, a caplift-off nose extending away from the outer periphery of the body of theclosure cap, at least one reference rupture location provided for saidclosure cap, said reference rupture location tearing upon removal of theclosure cap from the container, the region of the closure cap containingsaid reference rupture location forming a part of the closure cap whichcan be removed as a unit together with the cap lift-off nose, saidclosure cap including at least one lateral connection strut extendingbetween the cap lift-off nose and the outer periphery of the body of theclosure cap, said at least one reference rupture location comprising atleast one reference rupture location provided at said lateral connectionstrut.